Stanislaus County Man Sentenced to over 19 Years in Prison for Cultivating Marijuana and Trafficking Methamphetamine

JUL 03 (SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — Elias Alvarez-Ramirez, 53, of Turlock, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. to 19 years and seven months in prison for conspiring to manufacture more than 15,000 marijuana plants and distributing approximately 3.5 pounds of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Alvarez-Ramirez was responsible for purchasing equipment and providing workers to plant and tend a 15,000 plant marijuana garden in Shasta County between April 28 and May 20, 2009. On May 14, 2009, Alvarez-Ramirez delivered a quarter pound sample of 100 percent pure methamphetamine to an undercover agent and a confidential informant. On May 20, 2009, Alvarez-Ramirez delivered approximately 3.5 pounds of 97.1 percent pure methamphetamine to an undercover agent.

This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the North State Initiative Multi-jurisdictional Methamphetamine Team, California Department of Justice and the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Heiko P. Coppola s prosecuted the case.